Oscar-winning Irish musician and actor Glen Hansard has died following a motorbike crash in Dublin. He was 56.

Police said the fatal single-vehicle accident occurred on Lower Road in Lucan, west of the Irish capital, shortly before 4:30 a.m. local time on Wednesday. Authorities are appealing for witnesses as investigations into the cause of the crash continue.

Hansard was best known as the lead singer of the Irish rock band The Frames and for his work as one half of the folk-rock duo The Swell Season. He rose to international prominence after co-writing the song Falling Slowly, which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2008. The song featured in the acclaimed independent film Once, in which Hansard starred alongside Czech musician Markéta Irglová.

Born in Dublin in 1970, Hansard began his career as a street busker before landing the role of Outspan Foster in the 1991 musical film The Commitments. Over the years, he built a successful career as a songwriter, performer and actor, earning widespread recognition for his distinctive voice and emotionally driven music.

In addition to his work with The Frames and The Swell Season, Hansard released several solo albums, including Didn’t He Ramble, which received a Grammy nomination for Best Folk Album in 2016. He also collaborated with internationally renowned artists such as Bono, Eddie Vedder, Sinéad O’Connor, Eddi Reader and Lisa Hannigan.

Hansard played a key role in Ireland’s music scene beyond performing. In 2002, he became the original presenter of RTÉ’s music series Other Voices and was widely known for organizing Dublin’s annual Christmas Eve charity busk in support of the Dublin Simon Community.

A Broadway adaptation of Once, featuring songs written by Hansard and Irglová, went on to win eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical, further cementing the songwriter’s legacy.

In a statement, Hansard’s management described his death as a heartbreaking loss.

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“With broken hearts we announce the passing of Glen Hansard, who died in the early hours of this morning following a road traffic accident in Dublin,” the statement read. “Glen’s family is deeply shocked and heartbroken by this tragic loss and respectfully requests privacy at this extremely difficult time.”

Tributes quickly poured in from across the music and political worlds. Waterboys frontman Mike Scott remembered Hansard as a gifted artist who had fulfilled his dreams, while expressing sympathy for his family.

Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin said he was “deeply saddened” by the news, describing Hansard as “a talented musician and actor who made a significant contribution to Ireland’s cultural landscape over many years.”

Hansard is survived by his wife and their three-year-old son. His death marks the loss of one of Ireland’s most celebrated contemporary musicians, whose work touched audiences around the world through film, music and live performance.

(BBC News)